Harry Browne's Book on Selling
Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 5:26 pm
Have any of you read Harry Browne's book The Secret of Selling Anything? I recently read it and was surprised at how good it was.
It's not your typical self-help book containing overused platitudes like "think positive," "be persistent," and "develop good habits." It's more like a type of pragmatic philosophy book, and its main theme is that, to become an effective seller, you basically have to (1) ask people what they want and then (2) figure out how to help them get it.
It's was a refreshing read, because successful salesmanship sometimes has a negative stigma of being at least a little manipulative. But in HB's book, he makes it clear that absolutely no manipulation is required. He explains that, at its core, salesmanship is communication--two-way communication. And he also points out that, if you're doing it right, making a lot of money as a salesman is nothing to be ashamed of but is instead a badge of honor, because it means you've served a lot of people and helped them get what they want.
I actually think the principles outlined in The Secret of Selling Anything can be more broadly applied to various kinds of human interactions and relationships. It's part of a coherent philosophy of serving others, which is ultimately how we improve our own lives.
It's not your typical self-help book containing overused platitudes like "think positive," "be persistent," and "develop good habits." It's more like a type of pragmatic philosophy book, and its main theme is that, to become an effective seller, you basically have to (1) ask people what they want and then (2) figure out how to help them get it.
It's was a refreshing read, because successful salesmanship sometimes has a negative stigma of being at least a little manipulative. But in HB's book, he makes it clear that absolutely no manipulation is required. He explains that, at its core, salesmanship is communication--two-way communication. And he also points out that, if you're doing it right, making a lot of money as a salesman is nothing to be ashamed of but is instead a badge of honor, because it means you've served a lot of people and helped them get what they want.
I actually think the principles outlined in The Secret of Selling Anything can be more broadly applied to various kinds of human interactions and relationships. It's part of a coherent philosophy of serving others, which is ultimately how we improve our own lives.